The 2020 James Beard Award Nominees

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We are proud to announce the nominees for the 2020 James Beard Awards presented by Capital One. This announcement comes on what would have been the 30th Anniversary James Beard Awards in Chicago. Over the past few months COVID-19 has upended the restaurant community in every facet. During this time the Foundation has turned its attention to supporting the relief and rebuild efforts, postponing Awards activities to instead focus on the James Beard Foundation Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund, which to date has disbursed more than $4 million to independent, locally owned restaurants around the country. After consultation with chefs and restaurateurs across the country, the Foundation decided to announce the 2020 nominees and honorees, and set the dates for this year’s remaining Awards events, which recognize work done in 2019.

The announcement was livestreamed via our Twitter account and co-hosted by VISIT PHILADELPHIA President and CEO Jeff Guaracino and the Beard Foundation's CEO, Clare Reichenbach.

Additionally, today we're announcing that the Foundation will forego a physical ceremony for the 2020 Media Awards. Instead, we will issue a press release on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 announcing the winners. Restaurant & Chef Award winners are now slated to be announced on Friday, September 25, 2020, from Chicago, broadcast live via the James Beard Foundation’s Twitter feed. Stay tuned for more information on the September announcement.

See the full list of nominees below.

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2020 James Beard Foundation Book Awards

For cookbooks and other non-fiction food- or beverage-related books that were published in the U.S. in 2019. Winners, including the Book of the Year Award and the Cookbook Hall of Fame inductee will be announced on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.

AmericanCook Like a Local: Flavors That Can Change How You Cook and See the World
Chris Shepherd and Kaitlyn Goalen
(Clarkson Potter)

Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking
Toni Tipton-Martin
(Clarkson Potter)

2020 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards

For articles published in English in 2019. Winners, including the Emerging Voice Award, will be announced on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.

Columns
What She’s Having: “Popeyes’ Fried Chicken Sandwich: A Delicious Distraction, a Cultural Lesson”; “Every Season Is Soup Season”; “Why a Somali Nook in East Boston Is One of the Country’s Best New Restaurants”
Devra FirstThe Boston Globe

Power Rankings: “The Official Fast Food French Fry Power Rankings”; “The Official Spicy Snack Power Rankings”; “The Official Domestic Beer Power Rankings”
Lucas Kwan PetersonLos Angeles Times

“NYC’s Buzziest New Sushi Parlors Are Transcendent, If You Can Handle the Bros”; “Wall Street’s Underground Russian Spa Is a Dining Destination for the Soul”; “Estiatorio Milos Is One of the Last Big Restaurant Scams in New York”
Ryan SuttonEater New York

“Peter Luger Used to Sizzle. Now It Sputters.”; “The 20 Most Delicious Things at Mercado Little Spain”; “Benno, Proudly Out of Step With the Age”
Pete WellsThe New York Times

Feature Reporting
America's farmers in crisis during Trump's trade wars: “Left Behind: Farmers Fight to Save Their Land in Rural Minnesota as Trade War Intensifies”; "’I'm Gonna Lose Everything’: A Farm Family Struggles to Recover after Rising Debt Pushes a Husband to Suicide"; “In Trump Country, a Season of Need on Family Farms”
Annie GowenThe Washington Post

“The Great Land Robbery”
Vann R. Newkirk IIThe Atlantic

“Value Meal”
Tad FriendThe New Yorker

Food Coverage in a General Interest PublicationThe Bitter Southerner

Gastro Obscura

The New Yorker

Foodways
“An Indigenous Community in Mexico Finds Its Voice — and Strength — in Wild Mushrooms”
Michael SnyderLos Angeles Times

“On Hawaii, the Fight for Taro’s Revival”
Ligaya MishanT: The New York Times Style Magazine

2020 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best New RestaurantA restaurant opened in 2019 that already demonstrates excellence in cuisine and hospitality, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

Automatic Seafood & Oysters
Birmingham, AL

Demi
Minneapolis

Eem
Portland, OR

Fox & the Knife
Boston

Gado Gado
Portland, OR

Gianna
New Orleans

Kalaya
Philadelphia

Nightshade
Los Angeles

Pasjoli
Santa Monica, CA

Verjus
San Francisco

Outstanding BakerA pastry chef or baker who demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity, and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries, or breads served in a retail bakery. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

Graison Gill
Bellegarde Bakery
New Orleans

Zachary Golper
Bien Cuit
NYC

Maura Kilpatrick
Sofra Bakery
Cambridge, MA

Lisa Ludwinski
Sister Pie
Detroit

Avery Ruzicka
Manresa Bread
Los Gatos, CA

Outstanding Bar ProgramA restaurant or bar that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the selection, preparation, and serving of cocktails, spirits, and/or beer.

Anvil Bar & Refuge
Houston

Expatriate
Portland, OR

Kimball House
Decatur, GA

Lost Lake
Chicago

Trick Dog
San Francisco

Outstanding Chef (Presented by All-Clad Metalcrafters)A chef who sets high culinary standards and who has served as a positive example for other food professionals. Must have been working as a chef for the past five years.

David Kinch
Manresa
Los Gatos, CA

Corey Lee
Benu
San Francisco

Donald Link
Herbsaint
New Orleans

Missy Robbins
Lilia
NYC

Ana Sortun
Oleana
Cambridge, MA

Marc Vetri
Vetri Cucina
Philadelphia

Outstanding Hospitality (Presented by American Airlines)A restaurant in operation for five or more years that demonstrates consistency and exceptional thoughtfulness in hospitality and service.

Brigtsen's
New Orleans

Canlis
Seattle

Saison
San Francisco

Swan Oyster Depot
San Francisco

Zingerman's Roadhouse
Ann Arbor, MI

Outstanding Pastry Chef (Presented by Lavazza)A pastry chef or baker who demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity, and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries, or breads served in a restaurant. Must have been working as a pastry chef or baker for the past five years.

Lincoln Carson
Bon Temps
Los Angeles

Juan Contreras
Atelier Crenn
San Francisco

Margarita Manzke
République
Los Angeles

Diane Moua
Spoon and Stable
Minneapolis

Natasha Pickowicz
Flora Bar
NYC

Miro Uskokovic
Gramercy Tavern
NYC

Outstanding Restaurant (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water)A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, service, and operations. Must have been in business 10 or more consecutive years.

FIG,
Charleston, SC

Frasca Food and Wine
Boulder, CO

Jaleo
Washington, D.C.

Pizzeria Bianco
Phoenix

Quince
San Francisco

Outstanding RestaurateurA restaurateur who demonstrates creativity in entrepreneurship and integrity in restaurant operations. Must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past five years.

Outstanding Wine ProgramA restaurant or bar that demonstrates excellence in wine service through a carefully considered wine list and a well-informed approach to helping customers choose and drink wine.

Bacchanal
New Orleans

Canard
Portland, OR

COTE
NYC

Miller Union
Atlanta

Night + Market Sahm
Venice, CA

Spiaggia
Chicago

Outstanding Wine, Beer or Spirits ProducerA beer, wine, or spirits producer who demonstrates consistency and exceptional skill in his or her craft.

Rising Star Chef of the Year (Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water)A chef age 30 or younger who displays exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

Will Aghajanian and Liz Johnson
The Catbird Seat
Nashville

Irene Li
Mei Mei
Boston

Gaby Maeda
State Bird Provisions
San Francisco

Ashleigh Shanti
Benne on Eagle
Asheville, NC

Paola Velez
Kith/Kin
Washington, D.C.

Jon Yao
Kato
Los Angeles

Best Chefs (Presented by Capital One)Chefs who set high culinary standards and also demonstrate integrity and admirable leadership skills in their respective regions. A nominee may be from any kind of dining establishment but must have been working as a chef for at least five years, with the three most recent years spent in the region.

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The James Beard Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.